Hood for motor drive vehicles



April 8, 1941. LEWIS 2,237,677 11001: FOR MOTOR DRIVE vEHIcLES Filed Sept. :50, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTO RM: Ks,

April 8, 1941. H. a. LEWIS HOOD FOR MOTOR DRIVE VEHICLES Filed Sept. 30, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M a Z m W o m H |1.. w z... LA M rop I01? 7M5 FIRM A TTO e/vexs.

provided. The rear or rlr imatenterll ellpr lil lll llllowartl howls, a linalewooih llla harp (Uorporatii i, than all llalilloinlla Application elepternher lltl lll, Serial a ti lvl'y invention relates particularly applicahle type to he described.

in such vehicle two wheels only are usually la" wheel is driven a motor, orclinarilv an intenaal coinhustion engine. The front or steering wheel nlav he inonntt eel hire the front wheel oi loicvcle or motorcycle. these vehicles the wheels are usnallv a hit iii in diameter. le spring suspended i oni trance, the the rear wheel heinp Ln most cases helri in such a manner that its or s hears a lineal relationship to light vehicles oi" the being free to turn wit that the vehicle can tlr lithe steering. mechanism projects opwarci cm the iront of the frame anti the engine while lrts oi the driving mechanism project opwartllv iroin the rear of the frame. ilecnrecl to the top oi the trance between the steering mechanism and the engine is a flat platform which is approximately horizontal. when the vehicle is helna nserl ltlllll upon which the feet of the user are supported.

Vehicles such as ahcve rlescrihetl are now in general use filling a. neeol hetween that met by the bicycle anol that root hr the autoinohile. flinch vehicles are light in weight, low in first cost, low in gasoline consar'nption, and have a low nplreep cost. In such vehicles it is costornarv to provide a hood which encloses the engine anti to provide a seat supported on this hood. The user, with his feet on the platform, sits on the seat in a position. such that he can operate the steerina inechanisln anol the engine controls, which controls are usual ly carried on the steering mechanism,

The present invention has to]: its ohiect the provision of a novel iorrn oi enclosing hoool. it is highly desirable that the hoocl shall enclose all of the engine and transmission mechanism that projects above the frame. lit is also clesirahle that the engine and the gasoline tanlt which are supported inside the hoool he reatlilv accessihle for the purpose of refilling the tone; ancl servic ing the engine and mechanism. flthls oloject-is at tained by the novel iorin oi hoool anti attachment means therefor which is tilsclos'eolhereln.

in the drawings which are "for illustrative purposes only: i

Fig. l is a side view of a motor driven vehicle embodying my novel enclosinahood.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the enclosing hood in open prsltion.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the enclosing hoocl.

,nor to li l, corpora to motor vehicles anti is li tle. ti is a ir lin (i of aainentary section talren on the view oi the enclosing l'loocl.

nentarv section talren on the lhe front wheel ill is c ti lot" a it ill i tee to turn ahoot a for pin i iront the ira h rile it i vitletl tlnrooe'h which the rider map can :ol ananla position oi the front wheel with rela tion tothe :traine ll thus steer the vehicle. ltlie asoalcontrols for the engine may he provision on th A lfoi'lr. l file-tween the steering inechanisn'l anti the on ie, the iraine ii provi'tlecl with a platform i l on which the rider's ifeet are sop- T portecl.

purpose oi": enclosing the engine, hootl ill is proviclecl. in the form oi the invention shown, the lower eciee oi the front encl oi the hoorl is secured icy hinges to the frame it. The hoocl at has a height indicated lay a Clillltllsion line which is less than the length th dicatecl hr a dimension line oi the platiorrn lll tle to dimensionalrelationsh i the hoocl can he turnetl throua'h an angle or nearly as" ahoot the hinges til train the enclosing position shown in ltia. l to the open position shown in il -ital it. llilhen so tornecl to open position; the hoorl occupies a position hetween the steerlna mechanism anti the engine l t so that the engine with associateli mechanism and the aasoline ill are renrlererl iollv accessible. This orrangement ior mounting the hoorl nialres it onnecessarv to ctlspose lillina olevices i-or oil or eaooline adjacent the outer s'orl'aces oi the hootl, and makes the engine ancl mechanism reaolllv accessihle ior inspection or servicing.

For the purpose of loclrins the hootl ill sollollv to the frame it when the hood. is in the enemaine position, various sorts oi releasable iasten lines that he used, the simplest prohablv heine halts. ll, however, provlole a simple term or reatlilv releasahle latching mechanism ill in the term oil two latches it, each of which is iorn'leol oi sprina steel riaiolv secin'eti to the hood. The

lower enrl oi each latch is provicleol with a hoolt 43 which snaps under the frame II when the hood is closed, and thus holds the hood rigidly to the frame. The latches 42 can be readily released by the riderby pulling rearwardly on them. The latches are so shaped that they also act as spring bumpers to receive the impact of other vehicles.

Secured by any-suitable means on or above the hood is a seat St on which the rider may sit.

It will be understood that my invention includes the novel conception of an enclosing hood for the engine which is of such size and shape that it can be turned to an open position above the platform 24 and between the fork 2i and'the engine H, but which in normal closed position will cover or enclose the engine and mechanism. It further includes the novel conception of hinging the hood to the frame so that it can be turned into this position. It still further includes the novel conception of using a spring latching mechanism at the rear of the hood for locking th hood rigidly to the frame.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a motor vehicle of the type described having a driving wheel which is driven by an engine through suitable driving mechanism, a steering wheel whose angular position with relation to the body of the vehicle can be controlled by suitable steering mechanism, and a frame supported by said wheels, said steering mechanism extending upwardly from the-forward portion of said frame, and said engine extending.

upwardly from therearward portion of said frame, the combination of: a hood supported on said frame and enclosing said engine; hinges securing the front end of said hood to said frame; and releasable means rigidly securing said hood to said' frame in an engine enclosing normal position in which said hood so encloses said engine, the proportions of said hood being such that when it is turned about said hinges through an angle of approximately 90 the hood lies between said steering mechanism and said engine, said hood being of such a shape that it will substantially clear all parts enclosed thereby as it is so turned.

- 2. In a motor vehicle of the type described having a driving wheel which is driven by an engine through suitable driving mechanism, a steering wheel whose angular position with relation to the body of the vehicle can be controlled by suitable steering mechanism, and a frame supported by said wheels, said steering mechanism extending upwardly from the forward portion of said frame, and said engine extending upwardly from the rearward portion of said frame, the combination of: a hood supported on said frame and enclosing said engine; hinges securing the front end of said hood to said frame; and a releasable latch by which said hood may be rigidly locked to said frame in said enclosing position, the proportions of said hood being such that when it is turned about said hinges through an angle of approximately 90 the hood lies between said steering mechanism and said engine, said hood being of such a shape that it will substantially clear all parts enclosed thereby as it is so turned.

HOWARD B. LEWIS. 

